


A Shoulder to Cry On

by FlowerOfRegret



Category: Ghost - Mystery Skulls (Music Video), Mystery Skulls (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, M/M, Nightmares, mention of self harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 10:34:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6562897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlowerOfRegret/pseuds/FlowerOfRegret
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bad things happen to good people…<br/>And they may change what you are…<br/>But don’t let them change Who you are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Shoulder to Cry On

**Author's Note:**

> Somebody give that guy a hand...  
> To soon?

Laughing, Screaming, Blood, So Much Blood, Everything is Cold

 

Your Fault, Your Sin, Killer, Traitor

 

A flash of Green, a splatter of Red, then Darkness

 

Arthur snapped up, mouth wide with a silent scream. He clamped his hand over his mouth to prevent himself from making any noise. He’d taught himself to not scream after a nightmare. The last thing he wanted to do was wake someone else.

 

The blond sat there, trembling as tears fell down his cheeks. His bed sheets were soaked with perspiration and he ached all over from his thrashing. After taking a few shaky breaths, Arthur swung his legs over the side of the bed and grabbed his prosthetic off his desk. Hissing in pain as the nerves attached to wires, Arthur put his palm to his brow, the metal cool against his skin.

 

Galahad poked his head out of a sock that was on the floor and growled in concern. Arthur lifted his head and smiled as he placed his flesh hand on the floor, palm side up. Growling again, the little hamster zipped across the floor and into the awaiting hand.

 

“I’m sorry Galy, did I wake you?” Arthur whispered.

 

Galahad only rubbed his head on Arthur's thumb, trying to comfort him. Arthur let out a laugh/sob at the little guy as he scratched him behind the ears.

 

“You always try to cheer me up, huh Galaham. You’re the most loyal knight of all, but… I don’t think I can take it much more buddy…” Arthur's voice cracked as another tear escaped. He screwed his eyes shut to fight off any more tears before they could surface. He didn’t deserve to cry or receive sympathy. Not after what he’d done.

 

It’s been almost a year since he committed the ultimate sin. Several weeks since said sin came back with a vengeance. Literally. Lewis was back, and the ghost hated him. Not hate, Loath. He had the permanent hand shaped burn on his back to prove it.

 

Gone were the friendly banters and gentle nudges. They were replaced with hate filled glares and over-forced slaps and bumps. Oh, he still touched him sure, but said touches were so hot they left welts and bruises. It had been a while since Lewis left a mark on him but Arthur could still feel every one of them.

 

Vivi had moved in with her spectral boyfriend and they both invited him to come along. Arthur refused with a ~~fake~~  smile and opted to stay with his uncle. He used the excuse that his uncle may need him close should he have to leave town for a job. He also insisted that they needed more time with each other. It wasn’t a complete lie but it was better than admitting the truth.

 

Sighing heavily, Arthur put Galahad back on the floor and pushed himself off his bed. His clock shone 3a.m.

 

“Well, might as well make myself busy, Uncle Lance won’t be up for another few hours” Arthur mumbled.

 

In nothing but his orange boxers, Arthur headed to the bathroom to splash some water on his face. Leaning over the sink and turning the water on, an echo sounded around him. Arthur squinted an eye open as water dripped from his goatee and peered behind him.

 

“Stupid brain…” he muttered, thinking his dreams were still scratching from within. Turning the water off and grabbing a hand towel, Arthur stood up with the fabric still clutched to his face. Another echo sounded all around, it almost sounded like laughter.

 

Arthur's shoulders tensed, face still buried in the towel. He peeked from the towel as he looked around.

 

Nothing

 

Sighing again and cursing his splintering mind, Arthur hung the towel up and turned to the mirror. A rather pale and under-weight young man stared back. The bags under his eyes made him look like a raccoon and his torso looked malnourished and was covered in scars.

 

Some scars were from being kidnapped by cults, some were from kitsune teeth and some… were self-inflicted.

 

Arthur pushed those thoughts aside. He peered at his wrist, examining the uneven skin littered with white lines. He did those. He looked at the hand print on his shoulder blade. He deserved that.

 

Looking back at his reflection, Arthur's shoulders sagged and he closed his eyes.

 

“You did this; you deserved every bit of it. He got worse because of you…”

 

**“You couldn’t be more right dear boy~”** a hollow voice responded.

 

Arthur's eyes shot open, looking around in fear. A hissing laughter broke out and his eyes snapped to the mirror. His reflection rolled its’ shoulders as it stretched its’ neck from side to side. His face broke out into a twisted grin, much like the Grinch.

 

No, not his reflection, something else. No No NO!

 

“I’m still dreaming! I must have fallen asleep!” Arthur's brain screamed as he felt the cracks in his mind spread.

 

**“Oh dear~ Have you not been sleeping well?”** Laughter. That sickening laughter!

 

His reflection smiled again, its teeth yellow and pointed. One eye turned black with a green glowing iris, the other remained amber, full of fear and pain. The reflections’ left arm, green as a rotten corps, snaked up and latched to its own throat. Arthur felt the pressure on his own wind pipe, choking the life out of him. He tried to scream, tried to react, but he couldn’t turn away from those eyes.

 

**“Murderer~”** the voice hissed playfully.

**“Traitor~”**

 

Arthur screwed his eyes shut, trying to fight back. Everything was numb.

 

Numb

 

“I… I can’t feel my arm…!” his brain choked out.

 

The laughter was too much. It echoed and rebounded in his ears. Arthur brought up his arm, his real arm, and struck the mirror as hard as he could. The image cracked, spider webbing out from the point of impact. His reflection only laughed harder, the volume increasing.

 

**“Pathetic~”**

 

With a strangled scream, he brought his fist to the image again. The mirror shattered, showering him in glass fragments. He fell hard to his knees, gasping for much needed oxygen as he was overcome with throat racking coughs. His vision was tinted with black as he fought the urge to throw up. As his breathing became more controlled, he brought his hand up to touch his face and stopped.

 

Red, it was red, not green.

 

Bloody gashes covered his hand from his knuckles all the way up his forearm. He could feel the hot, sticky substance running down his arm and drip on the floor and on his lap. He could Feel it, it was still his arm.

 

Arthur let out a shaky sigh as he sunk further on his knees, bringing his hand up to wipe his tears, smearing blood down the right side of his face.

 

Opening his eyes, he saw the floor was covered in mirror shards of differing sizes. One larger piece was resting in front of his knees, reflective side facing up. A bloody reflection with tears looked back at him. But just as he peered at it, the eye turned black once more with a green glow in its center.

 

Arthur shrieked and fell back on his rear and his back pushed up against the wall.

 

**“Coward~”**

 

The laughing returned, echoing all around. Arthur brought his hands up to his ears, shaking his head from side to side as he wailed. The walls around him grew dark and course and the floor was engulfed by green fog. Every shard of glass around him turning into a twisted stalagmite, jutting up from the rocky floor. He started rocking in place as he hit his head on the wall repeatedly. Nothing could drown out the screams and the voice that played off in his head.

 

“Useless”  
“Pathetic”  
“Coward!”  
“Murderer!”  
**"Traitor!!!"**

 

Each word becoming louder and distorted as they repeated over and over, echoing in his ears. His mind was stuck in a loop as his eyes were staring forward but not seeing anything. He was back in the cave, lost, his mind completely shattered.

He could never escape it.

 

* * *

 

 

_“Let’s split up…”_

 

Vibrant blue, that was warmth.

They don’t need me….

 

_“Don’t worry buddy, I’ve got your back…”_

 

Comforting purple, that was protection.

I’m such a coward…

 

_“Artie, are you alright?”_

 

No. You can’t let them know. You can't hold them back. You’re a burden to them….

 

“I’m fine”

 

Lewis, always strong... Sure, careful, brave, kind...

But, what was Arthur?...                                                                                                                   

Cold, numb… so useless, so pathetic...

                                                                                                              

His fingers shook... Fog swirled around his feet....

A coward, a tool, a bait for traps, only keeps the van working, insecure... worthless...

 

_**Pathetic**..._

 

Arthur's eye twitched...

 

He felt the thoughts grow louder, a burning cold in his skin.

 

“You’re too close to the edge Lew, be careful…”

 

**“Oh dear boy, whatever shall you do~”**

 

"???"

 

**“Push him”**

 

_“Look at this view Artie”_

 

**“Make a Point~  Push Him!”**

 

He tried to speak, but his words caught in his throat. He wanted to scream, wanted to save his friend, to warn, to make sure he didn’t fall to the darkness below. 

He reached forward to grab, to feel his friend under his own fingers, when he stopped and stared.

His arm. There was something wrong with his arm.

 

**“Well, if you won’t do it, Allow Me~”**

 

NO! STOP! LEW RUN!!! WHY CAN’T YOU HEAR ME!!!

 

_“Artie? Wha-?!”_

 

“Stop!… I don’t want this!… Not this!… Not Him!... Take Me!... FUCK!”

 

**“One step at a time~”**

 

LEWIS!!!!

 

To late….

 

Screams… SCreaMinG… everyone is SCREAMING!!!

 

No NO NOnONoNOnO!!!!!!

 

Purple disappears into darkness…. Consumed by raging fire.

 

MaKe iT SToP!!! MaKe iT SToP!!!

 

It’s a dream… it’s all a Dream… It Has To Be.

 

Not Real. NoT ReAL!!!

 

Wake up! WaKE UP!!!

 

My Arm. NOT my ARM!!!

 

Green and Red GrEeN and rEd GREEN and RED

 

“LeWiS!!! I’M SORRY!!!”

 

My ARM!!! I COULDN’T SAVE HIM!!! I’M SoRrY!!! I’m SoRrY!!!

 

I’m sorry….

 

.......

 

 “….W-why?”

 

**“Why Not~”**

 

Laughter. That’s not my voice! Can’t forgive… Can’t forget… NEVER forget!....

 

MONSTER!!!!!

 

**“Now we have all the time to spend with her~”**

 

I didn’t want this! I wanted to be with them both!…

 

make it stop…

 

**“Why stop when we are just getting started~”**

 

End it…. Couldn’t save Lewis, but I can save Vivi!!!

 

What’s that sound…? Growling?

 

Both eyes blinked out of unison, one green and the other amber, his body slowly turning… Seeing a flash of white and red leap at him.

 

Claws… Fangs…

 

Screams, More Screaming, Who’s Screaming!?

 

my voice…. That’s Not My VOICE!!!

 

Red, everything is red.

 

Red and green, red and green, red and green.

 

Red and…..

 

PAIN!!!

 

Make it stop, MAKE IT STOP!!! LEWIS!!! HELP ME!!!

 

Where’s Lewis?!

 

Pain… Burning… Everything Hurts, Why Does Everything Hurt?!

 

Why does it hurt Lewis?

 

“…….he’s…. gone……”

 

….

 

His pain was worse….

 

“………it should have been me”

 

Cold, everything’s so cold

 

“It should have been me….”

 

A single word pulsing like a wound, repeating over and over...

 

“Lewis”

 

* * *

 

 

Everything’s so dark….

 

“...where......?”

 

“……?”

 

His face, he could feel his face again. It was wet, why was it wet? Everything’s dark. No purple, no blue, no red….

Where am I? Still in the cave?

 

Red eyes pierce through the darkness. They are looking at him. They look sad, almost fearful. Are they afraid of him? Why would they be afraid?

 

He knows why. He’s a monster, a Murderer. He killed his best friend, his brother. He tore his own family apart. My arm. My not-arm. My fault!

Cold. Everything’s so cold. Is he dead? Dead like Lewis?

 

Crying, someone is crying. He knows that voice. Who’s crying?

 

Did he hurt someone else? Wet, why is my face wet?

 

His arm, he can feel his arm. But, it’s not there. Is it invisible? Can you have an invisible arm? He’d have to tell Vivi. Where is Vivi?

It’s so dark. Where’s Lewis? He was just here wasn’t he? No. Lewis is dead. Dead and gone. Just like he should be.

 

The red eyes are still staring at him. Why are they still there? Why do they look so sad? Did he hurt them too? Everything hurts.

Why does it hurt Lewis?

 

Crying, the crying is getting louder. Something warm touches his face, making him flinch. He’s scared. He should be. He deserves to suffer. But he is a coward.

 

**_“Please…. please don’t be scared”_** a mournful voice begs,

**_“I don’t want you to be afraid… not of me. Not anymore.”_ **

 

But…., everything’s scary? Everyone can turn on you. Cults, dogs, friends, ghosts….. Ghost friends are even more scary. They don’t let you forget. Can’t let you forget. Never Forgive.

 

His whole body trembled as a magenta glow engulfed him. Warmth, such glorious warmth. Why? He should be cold. He should be cold and dead. Just like Lewis…..

 

**_“No!”_ ** the voice is more firm, almost angry.

 

Who’s there? That’s not his voice. He knows that voice, but they wouldn’t be talking to him. They’re still mad at him. They still hate him and they should.

 

Eyes, another pair of eyes shine in the dark. They’re glowing purple. They’re looking at him too. Why? Where they there to see what he’d done? A witness to his sin?

Good. He’s tired of hiding. Tired of running. Tired of the lies. So tired. He should be punished, blamed, killed….

 

**_“Stop. Please”_** the voice begs again.

 

That voice. He used to love to hear it. But then it got scary. Always yelling, always growling, always glaring. It sounded so lonely. Who is that? The purple eyes look so sad. Did they know Lewis? Did he hurt them too? All he does is hurt people. Maybe he should just disappear…

 

**_“Arthur, please…. Please don’t think like that”_ **

 

Why not? That voice sounds so lost, almost broken. Did they hurt someone too?

 

**_“I was… I was wrong, so stupid and wrong. Please, don’t do this to yourself anymore. You don’t deserve this, you never did. Not this… not this pain. You don’t deserve to die”_** the voice sobbed, full of guilt.

 

But…, I do. Don’t I? My arm…. My not-arm…. My fault…. Green, Red, red and green.

The crying is getting louder. The Purple eyes are dripping. Why are they dripping? The red eyes look wet too. Why? What had he done now?

 

A pink light casts a shadow on the two figures standing in from of him. Not pink, Magenta, he corrects himself. Vivi doesn’t like pink. The red one looks like a dog, its eyes never blinking as they continue to stare at him. The purple one looks like a person. A very tall person.

 

Lewis was tall, the tallest person he knew. Lewis used to be smaller than him until high school. He used to protect Lewis. But Lewis doesn’t need him anymore.

He’s no longer useful. He had always admired Lewis’s height and broad shoulders. Lewis got even taller when he came back. Still can’t figure that one out. But Lewis is dead. Dead because of him, because he was weak… because he is Worthless.

 

**_“That’s not true! It never was!”_** purple commanded.

 

The red dog took a step back and Purple only remained, but too far away. He didn’t want it that far away. He wanted it closer, wanted to feel the safety that it provided.

 

The purple figure sobbed as they stepped forward with small, hesitant footsteps. Where they afraid of him? Why were they shaking?

Something was wet on his face as it ran down his cheek. Why is my face wet? Is it raining? He didn’t like rainy days. Couldn’t go anywhere, couldn’t stay dry. His shoulder would ache painfully from the chills. The sky is so dark, colorless. Cold, the rain was always cold.

 

Why is it so cold Lewis?

 

The purple one has tears running down their face, glowing brightly. They were almost beautiful if they weren’t so sad. Purple continued to cry as they stepped up to him. Gods he was tall. So tall… Like Lewis…. rain continued to fall.

 

Warmth, like sitting under the sun. Purple made him feel comfortable, calm, safe….

 

Safe? Lewis made him feel safe. He always had his back. He trusted Lewis with his life and Lewis trusted him. Lew shouldn’t have. He could never be trusted.

This person. Who is he? Why is he sad? Why does he look like Lewis? Lewis hates him. It hurts but he has no right to complain. Lewis wants him dead. Dead and gone. Just like Lewis.

 

**_“I’m so sorry….”_ **

 

The Purple ones’ voice sounds so broken. It’s cracking like glass…. A glass heart?

 

**_“Oh Artie, please come back”_ **

**_“Don’t fade away”_** they begged.

 

Purple warmth wrapped around him. Strong arms holding him close, trembling. Sad. Was he sad for him? Why? He doesn’t understand. He’s a monster. Monsters should be slain. Like in the stories from King Arthur. Monsters don’t get a happy ending.

 

The arms hold him tighter, his face pressed against something soft. Something is pulsing against his chest. It’s so warm.

 

Pressure. Pressure on his head as something drips on his face. Looking up, he can see a skull. Its cheek-bone pressed against his forehead, glowing tears raining down. They were tingly, beautiful. He should be afraid but he’s not.

 

Why is it raining Lewis?

 

The skull continued to cry, its sobs making his whole body shake. He’s so sad. He shouldn’t be sad. He is big and strong and has friends and family who love him. Maybe he misses them?

 

**_“I do. I miss him so much”_** the voice sobbed.

 

Him? Him who? Did he go away? Was he dead?

 

**_“He’s been away for a while now. I don’t know if he’ll ever come back.”_ **

**_“But I want him to, so so badly”_ **

 

The crying got loud again. It felt like the ground was shaking. It’s still raining. But it’s warm. Maybe he can help. He always wished someone would comfort him when he was sad but, he didn’t deserve it.

 

He didn’t like how sad purple was. Maybe purple was cold and was trying to get warm. He always had long arms. Vivi had teased him on how long his arms were. Lewis said it helped him give better hugs…. He misses Lewis.

 

The others’ back was hunched over, but he could feel the muscles tremble underneath as they continued to cry. He squeezed tighter, feeling his invisible arm do the same as he rubbed random patterns on the others’ back. The crying turned to small hiccups. Still raining.

 

Don’t be sad. Don’t cry. Please.

 

The skull was still pressed to his forehead. Glowing tears still falling, falling, falling. Maybe, if he wiped them away, like an eraser on a marker board?

Purple eyes met his, his hand cupping the skull. It was smooth, warm as he used his thumb to wipe glowing liquid from those eyes. He always wanted to do this. To comfort his friend. The skulls’ eyes closed as he continued to wipe away the tears.

 

A large hand cupped his head. Boney fingers carded through his hair. It felt nice. Maybe that’s why Mystery liked being petted so much.

Whining, a dog whined. Something red leaning on his leg. Is something wrong Mystery?

 

**“Will you come back to us Arthur?”** another voice asked.

 

Red eyes looked up at him. They are all-knowing but unsure at the same time. He knows those eyes. Always watching him, staring at him in the nights he couldn’t sleep. Sleep. He was so tired. The hand petting him is soothing, relaxing. It isn’t cold anymore.

 

**_“Please Arthur, I want you to stay. I miss you.”_ **

**_“So does Vivi”_ **

 

The others chest rumbled under his cheek as he spoke. Oh, how he loved that voice. Purple eyes looked down at him, looking so hopeful, full of compassion and love.

 

Love? That’s not right. No one loves him.

 

**_“Yes, we do”_ **

 

Dreaming. Now he knows he’s dreaming. The ground is shaking again. Am I waking up? He doesn’t want to. If this is a dream, he wants to stay. It’s so warm and comfortable. It’s less scary here.

 

**“What about Vivi?”** the other voice asked.

 

Vivi? Where is Vivi? Not here. I miss her. I wonder what Galahad is doing, probably annoying Uncle Lance. What time is it? Do I have to work in the morning? Uncle Lance isn’t the sentimental type, but he gives strong hugs. Wonder if he’d care if I gave him one? Maybe he’d hug back instead of grumbling.

 

**_“You won’t know unless you come back”_** the large chest under his cheek rumbled again.

 

The warmth leaves as purple takes a step back, glowing eyes never leaving amber ones. He offers out his hand, white bone flashed on black knuckles.

Purple doesn’t have a face, but he’s smiling, he can tell. How he missed that smile. He takes his friends’ hand, it’s so big. It covers his hand completely. He’s still his friend, his family.

 

Laughter, someone is laughing. Is that me? Barking, Mystery is barking. Is he laughing to?

The ground shifts again, the others going out of focus, fading. Darkness.

 

* * *

 

 

Beep   Beep   Beep

 

“…….?”

 

Beep   Beep   Beep

 

“….. Arthur….?”

 

Arthur's eyes flutter open.

 

White. Everything’s too white. He screws his eyes shut again, taking a deep breath and releasing it as he tries to fight off the groggy feeling of pain killers. Arthur squints one eye open to scan his surroundings. Where am I? A hospital? His thoughts were jumbled.

 

There were three blurry outlines in front of him. Blue to his right, Purple to his left and red on his lap. Not red, red eyes.

 

“M’stery…?” Arthur's voice slurred as his eyes tried to focus. His head was swimming and his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth.

His vision cleared a little as the little dog started to wag his tail. Arthur would have pet Mystery only something was holding his hands.

Hands?  He only had one.

 

Looking to his right again, Vivi had her head resting on the bed by his waist, his hand clutched in hers as she slept. An IV was hooked up to his arm and a heart monitor clamp on his finder. His arm was completely wrapped in bandages from his bicep down to the tips of his fingers.

 

He felt a squeeze on his left hand. After tearing his eyes from the sleeping beauty that was Vivi, Arthur turned his attention to the other figure that was in the room.

His eyes met with purple ones once more as he stared at a very human looking ghost. Lewis’s face was a mixture of relief, sadness and guilt. His brow was furrowed and his eyes on the verge of tears, dried tear tracks already present. But he had a small smile on his lips.

 

“Hey Lew…” Arthur's throat felt dry, tight and sore, like he had just come from a scream concert.

 

He wasn’t afraid for some reason. He wasn’t sure why.

 

_“Hey hermano…”_ Lewis’s voice sounded far away, like he was talking from another room.

 

Hermano? Brother? Arthur hadn’t heard him call him that since before…. His eyes felt prickly as tears tried to surface.

 

He felt another squeeze on his left hand. Looking to his left shoulder, Arthur saw his metal limb wasn’t present. Besides, the pressure sensors he installed weren’t nearly equivalent to real feeling.

 

Arthur continued to scan down his side until he saw Lewis’s hand. It was resting on the bed as if it was clasping something. Lewis followed his gaze and Arthur saw his hand flex as though he was squeezing something and… he felt it.

 

Arthur's eyes widened as his jaw went slack. Lewis squeezed again and Arthur snapped up to look at purple eyes once more. His voice cracked as he choked.

 

“Invisible arm….” This time he didn’t fight the tears as they fell.

 

* * *

 

 

Vivi stirred when she felt the hand she was holding start to tremble. She had been there all night, not wanting to be absent if Arthur woke up. She remembers the last time her friend woke up in a hospital. She knew Lewis had promised to never leave his side but it wasn’t the same.

 

She heard quiet sobbing as she looked around with blurry eyes. When the grogginess cleared, the sight she took in made her breath catch.

 

Arthur was awake, and he was crying. Lewis had the blond's head cradled against his chest as ghostly tears tracked down his projected cheeks.

 

“Arthur…?!” her voice cracked, sore from a night of worry.

 

“Hey Viv” Arthur hiccupped.

 

Without hesitation, Vivi all but tackled the frail blond in his bed, draping across his body in a hug as though he would vanish at any moment, causing Mystery to bark in protest. Rubbing her forehead to his, Arthur tried to wrap his arm around her but hissed in pain.

 

This shocked Vivi into jumping back as she realized she was lying on his bandaged arm. Apologizing profusely, Vivi touched his arm delicately and kissed his knuckles through gauze wrappings. Confusion etched Arthur's face as he looked at his real arm.

 

“What happened?” his eyes wondered around as he took in the room. A heart monitor beeped annoyingly nearby.

 

Vivi and Lewis exchanged nervous glances as Mystery asked.

 

“What do you remember?”

 

Arthur's brow crumpled in thought. He was drawing a blank.

 

“I… I remember Galahad….. I had a nightmare and… and he tried to comfort me….”

 

The beeping from the heart monitor began to increase as Arthur's breathing became more shallow, his chest rising and falling faster and faster.

 

“The mirror…. The Mirror!” he shrieked as his eyes widened.

 

It was a dream! Wasn’t it? Arthur's mind spun as he looked around and then back at his bandaged arm. The beeping continued to increase in its speed.

 

“Arthur! Breath!”

 

Arthur felt movement on his lap, forcing him to look at Mystery. His red eyes were boring into the frail man as Arthur heeded his command. The blond clamped his eyes shut as he tried to take a few deep breaths.

 

Strong, warm arms engulfed him as he exhaled. Opening his eyes again, he saw a flaming skeleton embracing him, its cheek-bone pressed against Arthur's forehead comfortingly once more.

 

“It was real?” Arthur wheezed as he began to quake. The arms around him pulled him closer. Lewis’s locket beat sadly as it snuggled against Arthur's chest, trying to slow the blonds’ rapid heart rate. Vivi held his hand gently as she gave him a sad smile.

 

“How…. how much did you see?” Arthur's tongue felt like led in his mouth as he asked the ghost and the kitsune about his ~~(not)~~ dream.

 

“All of it” Mystery responded heavily. “You were broken; we thought we were going to lose you.” Lewis only nodded, not trusting his voice.

 

“Uncle Lance called us” Vivi stated.

 

“He was… he was scared. He said he found you on the bathroom floor, covered in blood” her voice shook as she held back a sob.

“He said you wouldn’t stop screaming. He said that you were… hurting yourself. You were covered in glass from a broken mirror and your arm was cut all over.

It looked like you ripped your prosthetic off and… impaled it with glass. You…. You were beating your head against the wall, crying for Lewis….” Vivi couldn’t say anymore as the dam broke and she started to cry, remembering the horror and desperation in Lance's voice.

 

Lewis began to tremble, squeezing tighter as more tears fell from his eye sockets. Arthur didn’t move, the memory rearing its ugly head.

 

Mystery spoke, never turning his gaze, “The doctors said you suffered a psychotic break, most likely due to insomnia and post-traumatic stress, among other things.” He made a point to glare at Lewis.

 

“Your brain couldn’t separate reality from your subconscious. They said…. They said you might never recover… so we reached out to you.”

 

Vivi moved closer to move a few stray hairs away from his face. “Why didn’t you tell us you weren’t sleeping?” she asked. “We could have helped you. If you’d have moved in with us… right Lew?”

 

Arthur couldn’t return her gaze as he felt Lewis go stiff, his trembling getting worse and his locket turning grey and growing cold. Ghostly tears were dripping into his unwashed, blond hair.

 

Arthur couldn’t tell her the truth. He didn’t want her to get upset. He deserved his punishment, even if she didn’t understand….

 

_“It was me…”_ Lewis choked, disrupting Arthur's thoughts.

 

All eyes turned to the ghost as he took a shaky breath he didn’t need.

 

_“It… it’s my fault… I… I was hurting him Vi!”_ Lewis wailed. He gripped Arthur tighter as if he were a lifeline, burying his face in Arthur's hair.

 

Vivi's expression remained confused as Lewis continued to cry. Mystery knew what he meant; he had seen the burns and nearly exorcised the ghost on the spot.

But Arthur stayed his hand (paw), thus saving his tormentor.

 

Afterwards, Mystery gave Lewis a heated lecture, telling him Arthur's nightmares and fears if only to make Lewis open his eyes to his errors, that his anger was misplaced. Telling him that if Arthur hadn’t pleaded for his ‘friend’ he would have made sure the ghost never saw the light of day again.

 

If not at first, Lewis did start to see. Taking notice on Arthur's habits and how much medication he was on, the bags under his eyes and his lack of appetite. He had envisioned Arthur as a **monster** and thought he was living life remorselessly. But after a few weeks, he started to see how much his ‘killer’ was suffering.

 

But even he couldn’t see just how broken the smaller man was, none of them could. Arthur was good at keeping things to himself. It wasn’t until Arthur started to avoid them completely that he started to grow concerned.

 

Without a word, Lewis turned Arthur gently so Vivi could see the damage he’d done. It was then Arthur realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt and he struggled against the specters hold, but it was too late. Both boys flinched when they heard a gasp from their blue beauty.

 

“How could you….?!” Vivi gasped, her hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming at the ghost, her eyes growing cold and demanding as they focused on Lewis.

 

Lewis had nothing to say as he released Arthur's shoulders. He knew anything he said would only sound like an excuse and there was **_no_** excuse, not for that.

 

Arthur couldn’t take it. “It’s a muffler burn from work!” he blurted, trying to defend the ghost since he wouldn’t defend himself.

 

_“Arthur, no”_ Lewis stated. Staring at the foot of the bed, the ghost released Arthur from his hold as he took a step back. His shoulders were hunched, his arms drooping in guilt as he continued.

 

_“You always stuck up for me. I had forgotten. When we were little and the bullies would gang up on me, you were there. You protected me. You made me feel safe and encouraged me to be who I was, no matter what the other kids said.”_

 

Lewis let out a choked sob at the memory. Arthur reached for his arm with his right hand but the specter was out of reach.

 

_“When I got bigger, I always thought…. I thought that when you were clinging to me when we were on investigations that, that I was returning the favor._

_Like it was the same and that I was protecting you… and helping_ you _feel safe.”_

 

_“But, it wasn’t the same_ ” his voice hiccupped. _“We always dragged you around to places you didn’t want to be. You knew it was risky, but Vivi and I always thought we were untouchable... That nothing would go wrong because we could always get away. But you knew. You **Knew** something could always go wrong and you would try and warn us, but we’d always blow it off.”_

 

Vivi was clinging to the sheets by Arthur's hand, her shoulders trembling as tears soaked into her scarf. Glowing tears flowed down Lewis’s skull as he began to choke on his own words, looking at no one. Mystery remained silent, his head hung low.

 

“ _We were so_ **Stupid** _. There were close calls, so many close calls, and you were always the one that got hurt. There were even a few times that if we were just a few seconds later... you'd...."_ Lewis cringed, the thought alone horrifying.

 

_"But, you’d say it was no big deal when you should have been_ **Screaming** _at us…. There were so many time it could have been_ **You** _.”_

 

Lewis fell hard to his knees, his hands grasping the bed railing as his skull hung low. The whole bed shook with his trembling but no one brought it up. Arthur could only look on in horror as his friend fell apart before his eyes.

 

_“And then….”_ Lewis growled, his eyes glowing angrily. _“And then I had the ‘ **Audacity’** to think my best friend, my ‘ **Brother’** , had any ill thoughts against me!_

_That the one that ‘ **Protected’** me and ‘ **Loved’** me for whom I was had killed me in_ Cold Blood!”

 

Lewis’s shoulders erupted into magenta flames as the railing bent in his grasp. Vivi's sobs increased as Mystery gave Lewis a warning. Almost immediately, the ghost's flames backed off and turned a dull color as if someone had taken an eraser to them. He sunk lower to the floor as they continued to cry. Mystery was silent.

 

_“I… I’m so sorry Artie…”_

 

Arthur was speechless. Did he do this? Arthur thought to himself as everyone fell apart around him. No, no, we All did this, they all shared the blame in one form or another. Arthur's eyes grew determined as he tried to lean forward, his head still swimming.

 

Mystery scooted back as Arthur stretched out his hand, (his ‘invisible’ hand that was still there and he _knew_ that Lewis could feel it), and placed it on the specters’ head.

 

Lewis froze at the unexpected contact as Arthur began to ‘pet’ his flaming hair. It was so warm. Arthur always wondered what Lewis’s hair felt like but was too afraid to ask him.

 

“C-come on Lew…. y-you know I don’t like the rain…” Arthur's voice was quiet, tears staining his face. The specters’ locket, still pressed against Arthur's sternum, gave a pitiful beat as the blonds’ bandaged hand wrapped around it protectively. It was still a dull gray but a hint of yellow appeared around his fingers.

 

Lewis slowly looked up. Purple eyes, wide and full of disbelief, met amber ones. There was green still present in one of Arthur's eyes for those who knew where to look. But Arthur's eyes were happy, happy because he knew he was no longer alone.

 

_“H-how…?”_ Lewis’s voice wavered, broken like static.

 

_“How can you f-forgive me?”_

 

Arthur smiled, and it was a real smile, not like the ones he’d faked for so long. Lewis stumbled forward as he got to his feet and pulled the smaller man into a bear hug. His human façade appeared as he buried his face in the crook of Arthur's neck and wailed like a little boy after a bad day at school. Arthur pressed his face into the specters’ purple hair as he pulled him close.

 

Vivi stood up shaking her head and tried to wrap her arms around both of them.

 

“My boys…” she whispered.

 

Mystery snuggled up closer on Arthur's lap and nuzzled his bandaged hand. Arthur scratched the dog behind the ears as he relished the sensation of actually feeling Lewis with his missing limb. He’d have to ask him about that later.

 

* * *

 

 

They would have happily stayed like that till they all turned to stone, but the moment ended as soon as the door opened and a nurse piped up an innocent “Oh, you’re awake~”

 

Then all hell broke loose.

 

The door was flung the rest of the way open and crashed into the wall with a loud ‘BANG’.

 

Lance, in his 4’11’’ glory, stomped over to the bed towards his only blood relative. Lewis shied away with a yelp without his feet touching the floor and Vivi seemed to disappear on the other side of the bed. Even Mystery seemed to shrink in size as he huddled towards the foot of the bed without jumping down.

 

A cold sweat broke out on Arthur's brow as his Uncle's hand shot out and grabbed him by an ear and forced him eye level with his guardian.

 

**“DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT KIND OF HELL YOU PUT ME THROUGH!!!!”**

 

Stunned silence

 

“I’m…. s-sorry” Arthur's little voice choked out.

 

Then, just as fast, Arthur was pulled into another bear hug as Lance buried his face into Arthur's scared shoulder.

 

A sniffle broke the silence.

 

Lance pulled his nephew out to arms length to look him in the eyes. Tears were making their way down his gruff face as his shoulders started to shake.

 

“Please… don’t do that again. Not again. I don’t think I can take it anymore kiddo….”

 

Never, in his life, had Arthur seen the man he idolized look so, so mortal. He could see every worry line on his brow. His eyes were puffy from tears shed in private and he looked so tired.

 

Arthur wrapped his injured arm around his Uncle and hugged him as tight as he could as he pressed his face to his shoulder. He hoped his missing limb was doing the same as he cried and the shorter man did the same.

 

“I promise, no matter what, I’ll never do this again…” he whispered in his Uncle hair, the older mans’ beard tickling his shoulder. As he said this, he gazed up at Lewis who had new tears in his eyes as a knowing smile creeped up on his lips.

 

“You better not, or so help me…. I’ll start looking through yur girlfriend's books and find som’thin to bring ya back jus so I can tear ya a new one” Lance grumbled and Arthur knew he meant every word.

 

* * *

 

 

After a short check up from a nurse and a few short hours of intensity, hugging, and tears, it seemed everyone said what needed to be said.

 

It wasn’t until Vivi and Arthur's heads kept sagging lower and lower did Lewis look at the clock. It was getting late and none of them had had any decent sleep in the past 48 hours.

 

But none of them were ready to leave. Lance was the one to make the decisions for everyone.

 

“Well Arthur, you done made me waste another day. Why don’t you get some shut eye and I’ll take the blue gal home so she can do the same.”

 

_“Mr. Kingsmen, I can take her home and come back….”_ Lewis started but was cut off as a wrench bounced off his head with a ‘Clank’.

 

Lance, having caught the tool as it bounced back, pointed a callused finger at the now cowering seven foot tall ghost.

 

“You an’t doin no such thing! Leavin my nephew Alone is what got us all in this mess in the first place and an’t nobody making that same mistake twice.”

 

“And fer Gods sakes, Call Me Lance ya Big, Purple Headed Ape!”

 

Vivi couldn’t hold back her giggles any longer and they only erupted into uncontrolled laughter after having seen the look on Lewis’s face. Arthur couldn’t help but join in when the ghost looked to him baffled.

 

After everyone regained control of their posture, it was agreed that Vivi would stay at Lance's in the spare bedroom so they could shower, eat and rest and come back in the morning. Mystery would go with Vivi and Lewis would stay with Arthur so no one would be alone.

 

After they said their goodbyes, Arthur was left with a very nervous Lewis.

 

“You know, you could go if you want. I mean, you don’t have to stay if you don’t….” a tight squeeze on his left hand made him stop.

 

Arthur let out a snort. “I…. I always thought that, if I died and came back as a ghost, we could be friends again. You know, Ghost Buddies.” His voice started to tremble, “And… and you would finally be ha-happy and… and maybe even f-forgive me….” His eyes burned as he looked at the hand he couldn’t see. “I-I guess… I was half right…” he choked out.

 

He still had Lewis’s heart cupped to his chest as it felt like it was radiating a comforting warmth. Looking down at it, they could both see it was glowing, shining gold with no hints of gray.

 

_"Just get some rest. I'm not going anywhere"_

 

Lewis pressed his forehead to the blond's. Arthur let his head relax back on his pillow as a large hand began to comb through his hair. The blond leaned into the touch as he heard a deep chuckle and another squeeze on his (ghost) hand.

 

“Hey Lew?” he mumbled.

 

_“Hm hmm?”_ the ghost hummed.

 

“How’d you do that…?”

 

His response wasn’t immediate but Arthur felt the specter lean into his ear as he felt warmth brush his cheek.

 

_“Because, little hermano, you may be fractured, but you are still whole”_ the blond could feel a warm pressure on his forehead where spectral lips pressed briefly.

 

Arthur melted into the voice as his mind began to drift, succumbing to his fatigue. He tensed for a moment until he felt the hand in his hair again.

 

_“Don’t worry Artie, you won’t have any nightmares on my watch.”_

 

A small smile played on Arthur's lips as he slipped to unconsciousness, the last thing he hears;

 

_“Duerma bien, mi amor”_

**Author's Note:**

> I think I'm getting the hang of this...  
> I'm drowning in this fandom...  
> But, oddly, I don't want to be saved...


End file.
